


When the Telephone Rang

by Sadbhyl



Series: Smith & Harkness [9]
Category: Sarah Jane Adventures, Sarah Jane Smith (Big Finish Audio), Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Gen, Jossed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-30
Updated: 2011-08-30
Packaged: 2017-10-23 06:38:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadbhyl/pseuds/Sadbhyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is a very bad boy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Telephone Rang

**Author's Note:**

> This series was originally written waaaay back when, starting in May of 2006, shortly after School Reunion aired and a few months before the premiere of Torchwood, when the Sarah Jane Adventures were barely an idea. Which explains some of the poor characterization in the early chapters, especially Ianto. I struggled with the idea of revising to fit canon, but decided to leave it as an archive. Everything's pretty much Jossed, but have fun with it anyway.

Sarah’s purse was ringing.

She had left it in the conference room when Tosh called her down to help with her latest gadget. Sarah was as tight-lipped about her background as Jack was, but that didn’t keep the team from making use of her unique information. If Jack didn’t know better, he’d swear she was a time traveler or alien herself. Of course, he’d scanned her as soon as she’d shown up. She was human alright, and had the paper trail and genetics to prove it. She did have some odd time signatures about her, but he had yet to get her to admit to anything beyond occasional exposure through her UNIT work.

Her phone ringing was too good an opportunity for Jack to pass up.

He peeked through the blinds even as he fished around in Sarah’s bag, but she and Toshiko were both still engrossed at the workbench. He pulled out the mobile, adjusted the frequency on his earpiece to record the call, and activated it. “Hello?”

There was silence on the other end for a moment before a tense young woman answered, “Who is this?”

“Captain Jack Harkness,” he replied without hesitation.

Before he could question her back, she snapped, “Where’s Sarah?”

The anger in her voice told him this was someone concerned about Sarah’s well-being. Which meant one of only a few people. “This is Miss Redfern, I presume.”

“Since you’ve been stalking the lot of us, I can’t say I’m impressed with your powers of perception, Captain Harkness.” There was derision in the way she said his name. “Now, I’ll ask you again, where’s Sarah?”

He had to admire her fire. “She’s fine, I promise. She’s consulting with one of our scientists at the moment or I’d get her for you. Can I give her a message?”

Again the phone went silent. “Hello?” he finally tried.

“Yes, alright,” Natalie Redfern barked. “Just tell her to expect company. I tried to talk him out of it, but…” She seemed to catch herself. “Just tell her, will you?”

“I’d be glad to. Anything else?”

“Just stop.” This time her anger surprised him. “Whatever you’re trying on me, on her, just stop it. She should be home, not mucking about with you lot.”

“We aren’t keeping her.”

“Not intentionally. But I know what you do, what you’re showing her. That’s what’s keeping her. The promise of—”

Jack wanted to growl in frustration when she broke off again. “Promise of what?”

“Never you mind. Just give her my message.” She disconnected before he could respond.

Jack snapped the phone shut and dropped it back into Sarah’s bag. “No, Miss Redfern,” he said thoughtfully, “I don’t think I will.”


End file.
